Greenhouse bench



June 9, 1931. McKEE 1,809,055

GREENHOUSE BENCH Filed oct. 17, 1927 Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED STATES PHILIP L. Mc'KEE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS GREENHOUSE BENCH Application filed October 17, 1927. Serial No. 226,549.

My invention relates to greenhouse benches arranged for supporting growing plants and the like and the object of my invention is to provide means for supporting the steam heating pipes which run along the lower surfaces of these benches, and in a manner so that the table portion or supporting surface of the bench may be dismantled for repairs or replacements without disturbing the heating installation or without demounting the steam pipes.

These and other objects of my invention will be apparent from a perusal of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein,

Figure 1 is an end view of one of my greenhouse benches and the means for supporting the steam pipes.

Figure 2 is a side view thereof.

gigure 3 is a modified construction view, an

Figure 4 is an end view of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, my improved greenhouse bench comprises the concrete legs 2 of any desired shape and height upon the top of which are placed the usual wooden 2 x 4 supports 4 and 6 which run longitudinally of the bench and extend across a Cplurality of the concrete legs or supports. n top of these 2 x 4 supports I may either place additional cross supports 8 adapted to receive the usual boards 10 form ing the table having a continuous surface, or as in Figure 3, I may place the small one inch boards 12 directly upon the wooden 2 x 4s, the latter being preferably provided with the usual tongue and groove construction as indicated at 14.

The main feature of my present invention resides in providing means for supporting the heating pipes from the benches and in a manner such that they will be positioned beneath and adjacent the table top 10 but supported independent of the superstructure of the bench so that when it becomes necessary to dismantle the surfacing boards 10 and 12 and the longitudinal supports 4 and 6 and cross supports 8, it will not be necessary to demount the heating pipes and their supports. To this end, I propose to support the -may extend a pipe 28 as shown in Figs. 3 and simple typeof support and especially due to heating pipes 16 and 18 which extend along side preferably both longitudinal sides of the bench by means carried directly on the concrete legs 2. A simple embodiment of this supporting construction consists inproviding s flexible cables or wiresv20 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings which extend over the top surfaces of the concrete legs 2 and are looped downwardly as at 22 and 24 on the exterior sides of each of the. concrete legs so that the heating pipes 16 and 18 may be passed through said loops 22 and 24 and are conveniently held and supported at'the correct height on and longitudinally of the legs 2. While I may pass these cables or wires 20 over the tops of the concrete legs 2 without grooving the tops of the legs, I prefer to utilize the construction which is shown more clearly in Fig. 2 wherein the top of each leg 2 is provided with a groove or' notch 26 through which the wire or cable passes, whereby the wire will not independently become displaced from its supporting position across the top of each leg. The weight of the pipes on one side of the bench 1 cooperates with, or offsets, the weight ofthe pipes on the opposite side of the bench and 'maintains the tautness of the flexible memher.

As an alternative, simple. construction I 4 across the top of the concrete legs 2 so as to lie in these groves or notches 26. I may then attach loops or slings 30 and 32 of wire or other flexible cable directly on the outer" ends of these pipes28 so that the heating pipes 16 and 18 may be held, one independently of the other.

It will be appreciated that by reason of the the fact that it is constructed and arranged to'be associated with and supported by the concrete legs for supporting the heating pipes, I have provided a type of construction which is decidedly economical and simple in manufacture and installation and one which possesses the marked advantage of supporting the heating pipes only independent of the superstructure or top table forming mem bers of the greenhouse bench. It will bet! further apparent that with my improved construction by adjusting the length of the loops or slings 22 and 30 which directly carry the heating pipes, I am enabled eflectively to adjust the position of these heating pipes relative to the underside of the supporting surface of the greenhouse bench whereby to adjust the nearness of the source of heat to the plants or vegetation supported on the top of the benches.

In a copending application, Serial No. 242,- 274, filed December 23, 1927, a greenhouse bench of another construction is shown.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: o

1. A greenhouse bench comprising in combination a plurality of. spaced apart concrete legs, wooden cross supports extending across the tops of said legs forming a demountable superstructure, a wire extending across the toprof a pair of' such legs, said wire having looped portions depending downwardly on an exterior wall of each leg to form a sling, and heating pipes extending longitudinally of the bench structure and through, said iron slings.

2. A greenhouse bench. comprising in combination a plurality of rows of concrete legs spaced apart, an upper surface of each leg being grooved transversely, a wooden support extending along the top of the legs of each longitudinal series, table forming members carried by said supports, a wire lying in the grooves and extendingxacross the space betweenothe. legs, said wire having loops depending on the outer vertical walls of the legs and heating pipes carried in said loops.

3. In a greenhouse bench comprising in combination a plurality of spaced apart concrete legs, wooden cross supports extending across the tops of said legs forming a demountable super-structure, the upper surfaces of said concrete legs being transversely grooved, a flexible member extending between and within said grooves, the opposite extremities of said flexible member provided with Y I slings to receive and support heating pipes in position adjacent the sides of the concrete legs, the Weight of a pipe on one side cooperating with the weight of the pipe supported on the opposite side of the bench to maintain the tautness of the flexible member.

In witness whereof, I; have hereunto subscribed my name.

PHILIP L. MCKEE. 

